Inter- Generic Relationship
of Ocimum and Origanum Based on GC-MS Volatile Oils Data using
Software NTSPSpc Version 2.0

M. Maridass

Animal Health Research Unit, St. Xavier’s College
(Autonomous),

Palayamkottai-627002,
Tamil Nadu, South India

Email:
orchideyadass@yahoo.com

Issued 04
January 2009

Abstract

To study of inter-
generic relationships of Origanum vulgare L, Origanum applii (Domin)
Borus, Ocimum gratissimum L. and Ocimum basilicum L essential
oils peaks based on GC-MS methods. The result of the essential oils of Origanum
vulgare L, Origanum applii (Domin) Borus, Ocimum gratissimum L.
and Ocimum basilicum wereconstructed the phenogram formed in
one cluster and two sub cluster. The inter- generic relationship of 26%
formed in main clusters both genus of Origanum sp and Ocimum
sp. The sub cluster I, Ocimum gratissimum L. and O. basilicum was
very close relationship of 40% and 34% of sub cluster II Origanum vulgare L,
and O. applii respectively.

Introduction

The storage of essential
oils in higher plants is not restricted to specialized plant parts. Essential
oils occur in both roots, stems, leaves, flowers and seeds, or in the plant
as a whole. Both epidermal or mesophyll tissue can function as the site of
terpene biosynthesis in general, whereas typical storage cells or cell
structures characterize the taxonomic group of aromatic plants: Oil cells,
secretory glands, ducts and canals and the Labiatae-typical glandular
trichomes (capitate and peltate glands). Depending on
morphological structures, varying secondary metabolism and thus, determined
signalling and defence functions of essential oils in plant organs, the
pronounced alteration gives the ability to obtain essential oil qualities
that are quite different from one and the same plant.

Infraspecific and
intervarietal differences can be observed in both morphology and chemical
structures, which establish the basis for determining important chemically
defined populations or chemotypes (Hay and Svoboda,1993). Despite
aromatherapeutic demands, which require that the medicinal value of an
essential oil be based on its complete composition rather than its
constituent parts (Franchomme et al., 1990), one still has to consider the
chemical specification of Essential oils with regard to toxic concentrations
of single constituents (Tisserand and Balacs, 1995; Price and Price, 1999).

Knowledge about genetic
diversity and population genetic structure is a good baseline for formulating
effective conservation plans, and can often provide novel,
conservation-relevant insights. An effective conservation strategy for a
species can be made only after detailed population genetic information
becomes available. Estimates of genetic similarity using genetic
fingerprinting data are a useful tool in plant breeding, allowing breeders to
make informed decisions regarding the selection of germplasm to be used in
crossing schemes. Fingerprints themselves are also useful to breeders for
every day for protection of their own varieties and to seed producers,
growers and end users for checking the identity and purity of their produce
(Milbourne et al., 1997).

The oil extraction was
obtained from 40g fresh plants by steam distillation using Clevenger system,
during 3h. The aqueous phase was extracted with dichloromethane (3x50mL). The
organic phase was dried with sodium sulphate, filtered and the solvent
evaporated until dryness. The oil was solubilized in ethyl acetate for gas
chromatography and mass spectrometry analysis (Sartoratto et al.,
2004).

The chromatogram peaks
were converted into a “1” and “0” matrix, to indicate the presence or absence
of a peak, respectively. Genetic similarities (GS) were estimated for all
comparisons of each samples according to Nei (1972) as GS=2nxy/(nx+ny)
in which nx and ny are the total numbers of peaks in the
chromatograms of the samples x and y, respectively, and nxy is
the number of peaks shared by the two samples. To examine the inter- genetic
relationships between four species populations, a dendrogram was constructed
by an unweighted paired group method of cluster analysis using arithmetic
averages (UPGMA) option of the NTSYSpc-2.0 software.

Results and Discussion

Table-1 identified with
60 peaks, with the assumption that peaks with the same retention time on
different chromatograms was the same compounds. The data on these 60 peaks
for four plant samples such as Origanum vulgare L, O. applii (Domin)
Borus, Ocimum gratissimum L. and O. basilicum L. (Sartoratto et
al., (2004). The phenogram constructed based on common peaks of essential
oils identification from the Ocimum gratissimum, O. basilicum, Origanum
vulgare L, and O. applii shown in fig-1. The inter generic
relationship of 26% formed in main clusters both genus of Origanum sp
and Ocimum sp. The graphic phenogram (Fig. 1) distantly placed Origanum
vulgare L, and O. applii was 34% similarity.And Ocimum gratissimum L. and O.
basilicum was 40%similarity. According to literature
reported thedistantly placed C. martinii (var. motia and var.
so.a) from the rest of the taxa sharing 54% similarity. C. pendulus
was distantly placed from rest of the accessions but was closer to the
subclusters containing C. nardus var. nardus, C. nardus var.
Java II and C. winterianus (49, 44, 52% similarity, respectively) on
one hand and to the subcluster containing C. exuosus and C.
citratus (52, 43% similarity, respectively (Khanuja et al.,2005).
In conclusion of the present study, essential oils constituents can be used
as an additional tool to assist in identification of similar and closely
related species of Ocimum sp and Origanum sp.